Monday, November 17, 2008

No Recession in Russia, Thanks to the Kremlin: Words Like "Crisis" and "Decline" Are Banned on TV

Subjected to more than a century of propaganda masquerading as news, Russians often seem to live in a different reality from the rest of us. At a time when their country is locked in its worst financial crisis in a decade, Russians are more optimistic about the economy than they have ever been. According to opinion polls, 57% reckon it is flourishing, up from 53% in July.

The survey's findings are a triumph for the state, proving that the Kremlin has not lost its touch when it comes to manipulating fact. Obeying orders from the top, Russian television has banned the use of words such as "crisis," "decline" and "devaluation." Coverage of the mayhem in the country's stock market, where shares have fallen by 75% since August (see chart above), is scant.

Instead, just as in Soviet times, Russians are told how bad everything is in the West. The US, Russians are told, is in irreversible decline, while desperate Britons are throwing themselves into the Thames. The Queen, facing imminent penury, has been forced to pawn her diamonds and, according to one tabloid front page, Brits can no longer afford to bury their dead.

It has fallen to Russia, one television commentator gravely intoned, to come to the rescue of Europe. Russia, another newspaper declared, was set to become the continent's lender of last resort. As Russians are frequently reminded, this supposed stability is almost entirely thanks to the wisdom and leadership of Vladimir Putin. Yet if the state has been successful in projecting an image of calm confidence, there is growing evidence of panic behind the scenes.

How many journalists have to be killed, prisoners tortured, oil fields confiscated, heads of states poisoned, political opponents jailed, countries invaded, pipelines turned off to neighbouring countries in the middle of winter before the cha-ching...the moment the international community recognizes what everyone knows in Russia. This is the face of totalitarianism.

The only thing that changes periodically are the players everyone else just tries to survive any way they can.

I wonder if they will experience the drop off in consumer spending we are having in the west? If not, will we have a good argument that our contraction is partially due to hysterical press coverage and Bush Derangement Syndrome?

I am listening and wathing to BBC-news and comentaries, News from Germany, and Russia. I have satelite television and I can tell you that what you are saying here is absolutely not true. How can you write such lies?What do you want to provoke with such lies?